AdvertisementFirst African American picked for key Southern Baptist Convention positionFebruary 01, 2022The Associated PressfacebookEmailWillie McLaurin speaks at the 2020 Kentucky Baptist Pastors' Conference in 2020. McLaurin was named the interim president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee on Tuesday, the first African American to lead one of the denomination's ministry entities in its more than 175-year history. (Kentucky Today via AP)